A National Weather Service Damage Assessment Team has surveyed the storm damage in Pearl River County. It has been determined the damage was the result of a tornado. The tornado has been rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Damage estimates were consistent with maximum winds of 140 mph.

From the Local Storm Report:

THE TORNADO INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN ON HARRIS RD ON THE SW SIDE OF MCNEIL...WHERE IT SNAPPED SEVERAL PINE TREES. IT MOVED NORTHEASTWARD AND RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED RESULTING IN A SMALL AREA OF STRONG EF-2 AND WEAK EF-3 DAMAGE ALONG JOE SMITH RD AND SONES CHAPEL RD. THE WORST DAMAGE OCCURRED WHEN A SINGLE STORY BRICK VENEER TRIPLEX DWELLING WAS DESTROYED WITH ONLY TWO SMALL INTERIOR WALLS LEFT STANDING. THE TORNADO WEAKENED AFTER CROSSING HWY 11...CAUSING MAINLY TREE AND MINOR ROOF DAMAGE UNTIL IT REINTENSIFIED IN THE FAR NORTHEAST CORNER OF PEARL RIVER COUNTY NEAR RED HILL CHURCH RD. IT CAUSED STRONG EF-1 DAMAGE AS IT WAS LEAVING PEARL RIVER COUNTY. COUNTY OFFICIALS PRELIMINARILY ESTIMATE 22 HOMES DESTROYED/NOT REPARABLE...8 HOMES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE...16 HOMES WITH MINOR DAMAGE AND AN ADDITIONAL 9 HOMES AFFECTED. 8 PEOPLE WERE TRANSPORTED BY EMS TO AREA HOSPITALS...THOUGH ADDITIONAL MINOR INJURIES LIKELY OCCURRED. TIMES BASED ON RADAR. THIS IS PART OF A 61 MILE TRACK THROUGH 5 COUNTIES. THE TORNADO CONTINUED INTO STONE...FORREST...PERRY AND GREENE COUNTIES BEFORE LIFTING NEAR MCLAIN MS.